Safety match pack



Feb. 16, 1943. w. N. MUSSON SAFETY MATCH PACK Filed May 12, 1941 ass lNvEleoR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1943 'UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE Application. May 12, 393,096

2 Claims.

The present invention relates toimprovements in safety match packs, and more particularly to an envelope or cover for the same.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an envelope or cover for retaining a paper match pack therein, said pack being readily movable into and out of said cover for removing a match, the inward and outward movement of the pack being limited by the construction of the cover.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an envelope or cover for paper match packs designed to eliminate the danger of igniting the attached unused matches by the striking of a detached match on the striking strip of the pack.

The invention also consists in certain other cealed therein in which position the lower edge of the pack rests upon the inturned ends it as shown at IS in Figure 3 of the drawing. The match pack I! comprises a backing strip l8 having its lower end l1 turned upwardly for supporting therein a plurality of' paper matches i8, said matches being secured to the backing strip by means of staples or the like l9. An. ordinary match pack has its backing strip ii of suflicient length so as to fold over the front of the matches for engagement with the end i1. However, in accordance with the present invention, the upper end of the strip I6 is cut out to form a pull tab 20 which bends over the heads of the matches as shown. in Figure 3.

A rectangular window or opening 2| is formed in the lower end of the front wall 9 through which theusual striking surface 22 of the match pack is visible and accessible, it being understood that the striking surface 22 is formed on the upturned end ll of the backing strip l8.

' When thematches I! stand in the normal posiwill be had to the accompanying drawing wherevice.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view with the match pack in position for detaching a match 1 therefrom.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3-4 of Figure 1.

I Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line H of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing for a more'detailed description thereof, the envelope or cover is generally designated by the reference numeral 8, the same being designed to receive an ordinary paper book of matches so as to permit the safe use thereof. The cover 8 is formed from a blank of suitable material such as cardboard, folded upon itself to from front and back walls 9 and I0, respectively, the same being secured in folded position by means of staples H secured adjacent the upper and lower ends of the meeting edges of the blank. The upper and lower ends of the blank are folded inwardly as indicated at l2 and I3, respectively, and said inturned ends may be adhesively or otherwise secured to the wall of the blank.

A match pack generally designated by the reference numeral II is slidably disposed in the folded blank and is adapted to be entirely contion with the ends safely housed by the tab 20 within the cover 8, access may be had to the striking surface 22 through the opening 2|. However, when desiring to detach a match, the tab 20 is engaged and the backing strip pulled outwardly to the position shown in Figure -2. The outward movement of the backing strip l6 will be limited by reason of the contact of the upturned end H with the folded end 12, as more particularly shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. After the match has been detached, it is necessary to replace the pack within the cover in order to bring the striking surface 22 in registry with the opening 2| for igniting the match. With the pack replaced within the cover, the remaining matches carried thereby are completely concealed thereby precluding the possibility of their being ignited when igniting the detached match. Thus the cover or envelope 8 is a safety factor when housing a match pack precluding the possibility of injury to the user by carelessly igniting the detached match with the other matches exposed.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claim What is claimed is:

1. In a match pack, a cover having relatively wide front and back walls, the said cover being open at the top and having the top edge portions folded inwardly and downwardly, one of the said walls having a transversely elongated opening in the lower portion thereof, a match strip carrying a plurality of detachable match ends slidably mounted in the said cover disposed to assume a be made therein as do not affect the spirit of wide front and back walls and open at the top and bottom, the said top and bottom portions of the cover being folded inwardly to form stop projections, the front wall of the cover having a transversely elongated opening adjacent the bottom thereof, a strip carrying a plurality of detachable match ends slidably mounted in the cover, the said match carrying strip being adapted to assume a fully concealed retracted position in the cover and movable through the top opening to a projected match detaching position, and an upwardly folded portion atthe bottom of the match carrying strip having an exterior striking surface disposed to register with the transverse opening of the cover when the strip is in retracted position, the end folded top and bottom portions of the cover coacting with the bottom portion of the strip to limit the sliding movement thereof while the diminished lower portion of the cover snugly fits about the folded lower portion of the strip to enable convenient striking of a match end upon the striking surface.

WILLIAM N. MUSSON. 

